Doing What You Love

Posted by bonitapatterns@gmail.com on Dec 06, 2013

Four years ago I passed a cute little yarn shop as I was out driving. For whatever reason, it grabbed my attention so much, with the adorable window displays and pretty knitted pieces, I had to go in and explore. My heart lit on fire with a passion and lust and zeal for yarn that I had forgotten I’d had as a young girl.

I’d long been a crocheter, but had stopped, due to “life” happening. Seeing all the gorgeous knitted pieces, I simply HAD to learn to knit. Within a few months, I was knitting up a storm. I had a peace and a joy I had not experienced for years.

Until the day when it came to an end…I enjoyed it SO much, that I knit one day for 10 hours straight and my wrists finally said “NO MORE.” They were inflamed, icy hot and I could barely move them…for weeks.

Life is funny. It was the most devastating thing ever at the time. But…Little did I know this would be the start of my new career. Since my wrists were DONE with a capital D, I decided to start dabbling in yarn dyeing to still be playing with fiber at least. I ordered in a few supplies, stocked up on Kool-Aid packets, Wilton cake dyes and vinegar and set to work experimenting. And once again my heart burst into joyous flames of GLEE! And even more so, because dyeing satisfied my need for instant gratification. Apply some dye… BOOM.

Fast forward 4 years (past a divorce, a 4,000 mile move to Alaska, being in the throws and terror of having to support myself) and here I am today…Earning my living dyeing yarn. When I think about it, I can’t help but smile. I always like to say “You love what you love for a reason.”

What if I hadn’t gone in that yarn store 4 years ago? What if I hadn’t followed my joy in learning to knit? What if my wrists hadn’t given out from so much joyous knitting and I hadn’t learned to dye yarn? Would I be working a job I hate? What would I be doing? I haven’t a clue.

When life hands you lemons, squirt them onto yarn and see what happens! HA!!! I’m a firm believer that life isn’t meant to be tolerated. I lived that way for too long and I didn’t do myself or anybody any good. Life is meant to be LIVED. Fully. Richly. Boldly. Abundantly.

If you love your craft… whatever it may be…crocheting, knitting, spinning, dyeing, felting…you love it for a reason. Enjoy it. Embrace it and never for a moment feel guilty about taking time for YOU.

Life can throw a lot at us… but with yarn by our side, I think we can accomplish just about anything we set our minds to.